TED演讲：成功是一条延续的旅程(1)

 　　Why do so many people reach success and then fail? 为什么有这么多人在成功以后失败？

　　One of the big reasons is, we think success is a one-way street. 最主要的原因之一是，我们把成功当作一条单行道。

　　So we do everything that leads up to success, but then we get there. 我们尽其所能地达到成功，当我们到达那一步以后，

　　We figure we've made it, we sit back in our comfort zone, 我们觉得我们已经做到了，我们便闲散下来，

　　and we actually stop doing everything that made us successful. 不再继续那些当初让我们成功的努力。

　　And it doesn't take long to go downhill¹. 用不了太久，事情就开始走下坡。

　　And I can tell you this happens, because it happened to me. 我可以告诉你这是怎么回事，因为这是我的亲身体验。

　　Reaching success, I worked hard, I pushed myself. 为了成功，我努力工作，我鞭策自己。

　　But then I stopped, because I figured, "Oh, you know, I made it. I can just sit back and relax." 但我停了下来，因为我想，“我已经做到了，现在我可以坐着休息了。”

　　Reaching success, I always tried to improve and do good work. 为了成功，我总是试着做到最好，超越自己。

　　But then I stopped because I figured, "Hey, I'm good enough. I don't need to improve any more." 我不再这么做是因为我想，“我已经够好了，我不再需要改进了。”

　　Reaching success, I was pretty good at coming up with good ideas. 为了成功，我总是有很多好的创意。

　　Because I did all these simple things that led to ideas. 因为我做了这些让我达到成功的事。

　　But then I stopped, because I figured I was this hot-shot guy and I shouldn't have to work at ideas, 但我停下来了，因为我想我是个大腕了，我不用再想这些点子，

　　they should just come like magic. And the only thing that came was creative block. 它们会自动出现的，但唯一出现的是灵感障碍。

　　I couldn't come up with any ideas. 我没办法再想出任何点子。

　　Reaching success, I always focused² on clients³ and projects, and ignored the money. 为了成功，我用心地关注我的客户和计划，而不是金钱。

　　Then all this money started pouring in. And I got distracted⁴ by it. 但一旦公司开始赚钱，我就开始分心了。

　　And suddenly I was on the phone to my stockbroker⁵ and my real estate⁶ agent, when I should have been talking to my clients. 我发现在我应该花时间关心客户的时候，却总是在与股票经纪人、地产经纪人讲电话。

1 downhill   

adj.下坡的，倾斜的；adv.往下，每况愈下

参考例句：

• Is Western society going downhill?西方社会是在走下坡路吗？
• This restaurant has definitely gone downhill since I last came here.从我上次来过之后，这家餐馆越来越糟。

2 focused   

adj.聚焦的v.（使）集中， （使）聚集( focus的过去式和过去分词 )；调整（镜头，眼睛）焦点[焦距]以便看清；（光、声等的）焦点；集中（光束于）

参考例句：

• Research has focused on improving the car's aerodynamics. 研究的重点是改善轿车的流线型。
• The discussion focused on three main problems. 讨论集中在三个主要问题上。

3 clients   

n.顾客( client的名词复数 )；当事人；诉讼委托人；[计算机]客户端

参考例句：

• a lawyer with many famous clients 拥有许多著名委托人的律师
• She understood the importance of establishing a close rapport with clients. 她懂得与客户建立密切和谐的关系的重要性。

4 distracted   

a.注意力分散的，思想不集中的

参考例句：

• When working, one should concentrate and not allow oneself to be distracted. 工作时要集中精力，不要分心。
• Noise outside distracted her mind from her studies. 门外的噪音使她心神不宁，无法集中注意力学习。

5 stockbroker   

n.股票（或证券），经纪人（或机构）

参考例句：

• The main business of stockbroker is to help clients buy and sell shares.股票经纪人的主要业务是帮客户买卖股票。
• My stockbroker manages my portfolio for me.我的证券经纪人替我管理投资组合。

6 estate   

n.所有地，地产，庄园；住宅区；财产，资产

参考例句：

• My estate lies within a mile.我的地产离那有一英里。
• The great real estate brokers do far more than this.而优秀的房地产经纪人做得可比这多得多。